sick, princess, sick with sorrow, as
well you may be, because the man you love was about to die for
you," said Saladin in a slow voice. "Now I have had pity on your
grief, and his life has been bought with another life, that of
the knight who stands yonder."

The veiled form started wildly, then sank back against the wall.

"Rosamund," broke in Godwin, speaking in French, "I beseech you,
be silent and do not unman me with words or tears. It is best
thus, and you know that it is best. Wulf you love as he loves
you, and I believe that in time you will be brought together. Me
you do not love, save as a friend, and never have. Moreover, I
tell you this that it may ease your pain and my conscience; I no
longer seek you as my wife, whose bride is death. I pray you,
give to Wulf my love and blessing, and to Masouda, that truest
and most sweet woman, say, or write, that I offer her the homage
of my heart; that I thought of her in my last moments, and that
my prayer is we may meet again where all crooked paths are
straightened. Rosamund, farewell; peace and joy go with you
through many years, ay, and with your children's children. Of
Godwin I only ask you to remember this, that he lived serving
you, and so died."

She heard and stretched out her arms, and, none forbidding him,
Godwin walked to where she stood. Without lifting her veil she
bent forward and kissed him, first upon the brow and next upon
the lips; then with a low, moaning cry, she turned and fled from
that gloomy place, nor did Saladin seek to stay her. Only to
himself the Sultan wondered how it came about that if it was Wulf
whom Rosamund loved, she still kissed Godwin thus upon the lips.

As he walked back to the death-place Godwin wondered also, first
that Rosamund should have spoken no single word, and secondly
because she had kissed him thus, even in that hour. Why or
wherefore he did not know, but there rose in his mind a memory
of that wild ride down the mountain steeps at Beirut, and of lips
which then had touched his cheek, and of the odour of hair that
then was blown about his breast. With a sigh he thrust the
thought aside, blushing to think that such memories should come
to him who had done with earth and its delights, knelt down
before the headsman, and, turning to the bishop, said:

"Bless me, father, and bid them strike."

Then it was that he heard a well-known footstep, and looked up to
see Wulf staring at him.

"What do you here, Godwin?"